You are not paranoid when strangers are really snooping on your sensitive information online. There’s a good reason to protect your location and personal information from prying eyes and nosy companies, especially since the US government now allows your ISP to sell anonymized user data to third parties. A virtual private network, or VPN, can put a stop to this nefarious activity by allowing you to cloak yourself on the internet. A VPN lets your data flow through an encrypted tunnel to a VPN server, so anyone monitoring your connection sees incomprehensible data — the VPN server’s IP address instead of your device.
However, not all Android VPN apps are of the same quality and trustworthiness. When choosing a VPN, consider the business models of VPN companies, especially those that offer their services for free. Make sure you understand their privacy policy before signing up. We’ve identified all the options for the best VPN for Android you can install today, and they all support the OpenVPN protocol – the most secure option for Android.
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Surfshark
Surfshark is a great VPN if you’re looking for something fast and effective. It has a one-click VPN feature, or you can choose from 3,200 servers in 65 countries, or if you want to skip through a specific country. You can whitelist specific apps or websites if you’re not worried about being tracked by them, giving them a small speed boost – and there’s even an emergency failover built in, so you’re automatically disconnected when the VPN connection is interrupted. There’s a seven-day free trial, but after that you can pay for two years upfront for $60, six months for $39, or monthly for $13 — the best value is the two-year plan. However, there is also a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don’t like it.
ProtonVPN
Developed by Switzerland-based CERN scientists — the company that developed ProtonMail, the encrypted email service — the free version of ProtonVPN doesn’t record browsing history, doesn’t display infringing ads, sells private ones data to third parties or restricts your downloads. Instead, it encrypts your data with AES-256 and 4096 RSA and therefore cannot share your data with anyone. ProtonVPN supports two secure VPN protocols – IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN – and encrypts your DNS so your browser cannot be found via DNS queries. It also offers split tunnel support, allowing you to choose which traffic flows through the VPN, and a kill switch to protect against disconnections. Free users can connect just one device to free servers in Japan, Netherlands or USA, while paid subscribers can access 1,000 high-speed servers in 50 countries and access blocked or censored content and stream videos. Paid versions — which cost $48 (Basic) or $96 per year (Plus) — support a range of features like file sharing, BitTorrent, and Tor over VPN, as well as the ability to connect two or five devices simultaneously.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN has a solid track record of online privacy and security. It owns and operates its own networks independently from third parties, does not share your data with anyone and only keeps logs of IP addresses, connection times and bytes used for 30 days. It has an enormous worldwide reach of 700 servers and over 200,000 IPs in 70 countries and 6 continents. It supports 256-bit encryption so you can surf freely from anywhere. It all happens via proprietary Chameleon technology that masks the VPN service, especially when you want to stream content from another country and bypass censorship and other restrictions. With VyprVPN, you can configure the app to connect automatically based on your preferences — for example, every time you join an untrusted network. Try the service with a free, three-day, ad-free trial.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN offers a choice of 3,000+ VPN servers in 160 locations and 94 countries with unlimited speed and bandwidth to download or stream. The service works with Wi-Fi, LTE/4G, 3G and all mobile data carriers and offers 24/7 customer support and support for encryption over OpenVPN, UDP and TCP protocols. The app doesn’t log traffic data or browsing activity, and its kill-switch network protection stops internet traffic when the VPN can’t connect – for Android 8.0 Oreo or higher. The app also allows for split tunneling, so you can route some device traffic through the VPN while the rest accesses the internet directly. You can try ExpressVPN seven days free. After that, look at $13 a month, $60 for six months, or $100 a year.
TunnelBear VPN
TunnelBear is a free VPN with a friendly bear-style interface. The service offers fast speeds and is vetted by a third party for its security and privacy features. There is no IP logging and TunnelBear does not track or share your online activities with anyone. It supports 256-bit encryption with servers in 22+ countries and offers a kill switch feature. You can see server locations on a map and tap to connect your bear tunnel to them. TunnelBear is free with 500MB of browsing data per month – no credit card required. A Wi-Fi VPN with unlimited data is available with the premium plan, which you can purchase in the app. A subscription costs $3.33 per month or $40 for the year, which allows unlimited usage on up to five devices simultaneously.
FreedomVPN
F-Secure’s Freedome promises no logging of your data and allows you to create a VPN account without registration. Use the app to anonymously connect to any hotspot and encrypt your personal traffic with the VPN. The Android app is easy to use – just launch it and a big button lets you toggle the service on or off. You can change location and use the kill switch if needed. F-Secure is also an antivirus provider and therefore offers other apps and services to protect against viruses, malware and shady websites. Try the app for free for five days. After that, it costs $35 per year for three devices, $70 per year for seven devices, and $90 for two years for seven devices.
frequently asked Questions
Why do you need a VPN for your Android device?
Whether you’re online for business, shopping, or entertainment, a VPN helps protect your accounts. A VPN should be easy to use and offer a faster, more reliable internet connection, in addition to protecting you on public WiFi, allowing access to geo-blocked websites, and maintaining a consistently high speed without annoying disconnections. Make sure the VPN you choose supports your version of Android and computer operating system, with at least some backwards compatibility and multiple licenses in case you want to load it onto additional devices. Look for a kill switch so you’re not at risk if your internet connection drops. Be sure to read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, which describe what logs and details, if any, are collected and stored.
What is the Best Premium VPN for Android?
Premium VPNs are not free and should have thorough privacy policies, which is your goal. All of the VPNs we selected for this feature are premium paid services, most with free trial periods. All of our choices are high quality with great user reviews, so choosing the best one for you is subjective. The best free service revolves around how you want to use the VPN, whether you’re a globetrotter traveling the world, a cafe surfer seeking protection from prying wireless networks, a busy home worker accessing confidential company files, or a gamer who needs the ultimate speed, or an entertainment connoisseur looking for exclusive audio or video streaming free from geo-restrictions.
What are the best VPNs for Android tablets?
You should look for the same quality of protection from your VPN whether you are using an Android phone or an Android tablet. Our options above can be installed and used with either type of device. A company’s reputation for honesty and reliability should play an important role in your VPN selection for any device you own. The software needs to be specifically compatible with your Android tablet, so check the specs first to make sure. If you use your tablet to watch videos, be aware that VPNs are slower than unencrypted internet connections. So make sure your service prioritizes speed, such as B. ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN or VyprVPN. Look for a zero-logging policy that doesn’t keep logs of your online activity.
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